Water-automobile.



PATENTED APR. 16,- 1907.

APPLICATION FILED J'U'NILEl 190,6.

Ik ,.n, ,n t ...4 R

Nth-850,370.

em. v.

lview of one of the floats and WILLIAM L. IIYNEs,

OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS.

WATER-AUTOMOBILE.

Specification of Letters-Patent.

ratentea Aprilia, 19o?.

Application filed June 5; 1906. Serial No. 320,253-

To alZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM L. HYNEs, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful yWater-Automobile, of which vthe fol# owing is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in Water-autom .)biles, and more particularly to the propelling mechanism of a vessel. l l

The object of the invention is the provision of means for facilitating the propulsion 4of a vessel and increasing the speed thereof.-

With this and otherobjects in view the invention consists of certain novel constructions, combinations, parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed. Y

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevated side view of a mechanism constructed in accordace with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism depicted in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail end showing in side elevation the means for attaching the same to an endless carrier. Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the frame of lthe mechanism, which comprises primary horizontal side beams 2, that lare preferably connected at their ends by revoluble shafts 3. A superstructure is positioned upon each bam 1 and comprises vertical standards 4 4, which standards 4 are connected by a horizontal auxiliary beam 5. Inc-lined beams or brace portions 6 connect the ends of each horizontal beam 5 with a beam 2 near the ends 4 thereof. A platform 7 (shown in dottedlines) of any construction is preferably formed upon the horizontal auxiliary beams 5 and a motor or engine is carried by this platform or floor 7.

I preferably secure a plurality of pairs'of grooved wheels 8 upon each shaft 3, land po-' sitioned upon these Wheels 8 are endless carriers 9, which-I have shown in the embodiment depicted in Fig. 1 as cables. '.lhe'endless cai-riersv may be sprocket-chains 9', as illustrated in Fig. 3, which are positioned upon and. pass around sprocket-wheels, as 8', w ich may be substituted for the grooved and arrangements of l Wheels 8 without departing from the spirit-of thisinvention.

Each endless carrier or cable 9 is provided with a series of bands or casings 10, Which comprise fastening means for securing tubes or floats 11 to said carriers. pairs of endless carriers, and consequently have a pair of propelling devices comprising endless carriers and a plurality of transversely-arranged tubes or floats. The bands `10 of each pair of endless carriers are posi tioned parallel, so that each tubeor float 11 is surrounded by two bands l10. The bands 10 are each provided, preferably, with an `integral base l2, having oppositely-extending portions 13. The base 12 is ixedly secured to the endless carrier or cable v9. One of the extensions 13 is provided with an eye 14, Fig. 3 towhich e e a fiexible meI'nber--as,- for instance, chain 15-is secured at one end, and the opposite end of said chain 15 is secured to an eye 16, formed upon preferably the highest portion of the band 10. When the lpropelling devices are moving, as the tubes or floats 11 wheels and engage the water, an extra strain is placed on each lfloat atthat time, and to strengthen the fastening means 12 and re-v vent the same from being injured or bro en the chains l5 are employed, which vhold each float rigid in 'its normal position at right angles to those portions, of the endless carriers to which the base or Iasteningmean`s1-2 1s secured. It will be obvious that this rigid seproduces an ellicient device that is not liable to become broken by suddenly increasing or decreasing the speedoftravel, as thecliains are an auxiliary fastening means for compensating varied movement or extra strain upon the floats, caused by ,said floats engaging the Water.

Each float 11 may be formed of any s uit- "able flexible material .or of a non-liexible material and is in either instance preferably inflated, or within said floats compressed air or gas is stored for increasing their buoyancy. The chains 15 will not injure the floats 11 if said' lloats are constructed of flexible material-as, or canvasfbecause when said chains are not taut they will lie against the bands 10.

pass around the frontv for instance, rubber I employ two curing of the floats to the endless carriers rocA " rality of fastening means for securingl the of the shafts -3 between the same to its carrier or carriers, and said fastening means comprises pairs of fastening devices arranged'upon opposite sides of the iioat or tubes, one of said pairs of fastening means at all times holding the float to its carrier or carriers, while the other pair of fastening means acts only to hold the iioat Iin its normal position when the ioat is passing around the revoluble end supports. "It will be obvious that the iloats or tubes 11 are positioned close together on their upper and lower run and are separatedconsiderably when passing around the end supports. A sprocket-wheel 17 is iixedly secured to one 1propelling devices, and said sprocket-whee is connected,

preferably, by means of a sprocket-chain 18 to any suitable source of power-as, for instance, an engine or, motor carried vby the platform 7. Secured to each horizontal beam 2, and depending therefrom are brackets 19, which brackets 19 support idlers 20.-

These idlers 20 engage an endless carrier or cable. 9 and prevent the same from sagging. The brackets 19 and idlers 20 constitute bracing means for the' endless carriers for vpreventing sagging and also serve to retain saidcarriers tight-- or taut," thereby materially increasing the efficiency of the apparatus, not only because the carriers or cables 9 will not be permittedto sag, but will lalso prevent them slipping upon the revoluble end supports 8 or 8 1. In an apparatus of the class-described, the combination with a frame, revoluble end supports carried by said frame, of an endless carrier positioned upon said end supports, a

oat carried by said carrier, means for securing said float at its lower portion to saidl carrier, and auxiliary fastening means con'-` nected to said float and said carrier and adapted to retain the same in a rigid position- With respect to said'c'arrier, as said oat passes around the end sup Orts. Y

2. In an apparatus of tllie class described, the vcombination with a frame, an endless carrier positioned upon said frame, of a float, a band' surrounding said float, means securing said band to said carrier, a exible member secured at one end to said band and at its opposite end to said carrier,and means.

for driving said carrier. y

3. Inan apparatus of the class described,

' the combination with a frame, revoluble end means for rigidly holding Asaid floats in their normal" position when revoluble end supports. i,

4. In an apparatus of the vclass described, the combination with a'frame, revoluble end supports carried thereby, an endless carrier positioned upon said revoluble supports, of a float, means securing said float to said carrier, and means connected to saidfloat near its top and to said carrier for retaining said oat rigidly upon said carrier as saidfloat passes around said end supports.

5. In anv apparatus of the class described, the combination with a frame, any endless carrier positioned upon said frame, of a band provided with a base, means securing said passing around the base to said carrier, a float or tube posi base to said carrier, said band provided with.

an eye, fastening means secured to said'eye and to saidcarrier, and a float positioned within said band.

7. In an apparatus of the' classdescribed,

the combination with a frame, a carrier posi'- tioned upon said frame, of a pair of-surrounding means or bands, each of which -is provided with a basepmeans for securing said base to saidcarrier, tubes or iioats securedwithin said bands, a ieXible connecting member secured to the base of oneof said bands and to the other band above said base, and means for driving said carrier.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a frame, 'an endless carrier carried by said frame, of bands secured to said carier, each band provided with a base, aney'e formed' upon said base, eyesformed upon'said bands, means connecting the eye of one band to the eye of the 4base of the'other band, floats or tubes posiend supports carried by seid support, an end- In testimony whereof I have signed myl less carrier positioned upon 4said 1'evo1 ub1e name to this specification, in the presence of lo supports, oa fioat, means scouring said 'loat two subscribing Witnesses7 this 31st day of to said carrier, and means Connected to said May, A. I). 1906. 1

carrier at one end, and to said Hoot above WILLIAM LIHYNES. said 'cari'er for retaining said float rigidlyf Witnesses: uponsald carrier, as' the iioat passes around R. D. HOLLEMBEAK,

an end support. I O. R. HOPSON. 

